It is easy to marvel at an old wine just for being alive; for some reason, the sensation is heightened when the oldie is white rather than red.

But as I’ve discovered recently, having tasted an unusual number and variety of venerable white wines, it’s unwise to predict which will have reached handsome maturity and which will have turned to wizened wrinklies.

My hopes were pretty high for most of the selection of older Australian whites I had chosen to present to our monthly Sunday group.  The sextet included a couple of Hunter Valley semillons, a pair of Clare Valley rieslings, Chateau Tahbilk Marsanne and a variety I’ve never seen outside of Soave – Robin Day’s Domain Day Gargenega. The last of these, a 2005, boasted  a rich viscosity off-set by high fruity acids with tropical, citrus and almond flavours. I think it can age further, though not everyone agreed with me, as they often didn’t about the rest.

Of the two Clare Rieslings, both 2001 and both closed with screwcaps – the very early days of this closure revolution – Grosset’s Polish Hill was the better, but it would be more accurate to say it had aged rather than evolved. There was division over whether it would benefit from time; I was of the opinion it wouldn’t. Sadly, the Pauletts Riesling was brown and oxidised, a puzzle since there was no indication that the cap had been damaged.

Chateau Tahbilk, celebrating 150 years of wine production, is perhaps best known for its 1860 vines Shiraz, but for dedicated fans, the Marsanne is held in equally high regard. The screwcapped 2003 was the group favourite, even though naming the variety proved elusive! Medium bodied, the high but beautifully balanced natural acid gives extra lift to the typical fragrant honeysuckle bouquet and persistent flavours. A long and delicious future looks assured.

The pair of Hunter Semillons – the McWilliams Museum Elizabeth Semillon 1990 and McWilliams Semillon 1983 had peaked. I was the most positive about the former, which showed clear varietal and stylistic traits – honeyed hints, some waxiness and a lightish body - though unlikely to improve. The 1983 was a strange creature, not entirely clean and quite unlike previous bottles enjoyed from the same case. Perhaps it was asking too much of a 27 year old.

If there was a slight feeling of disappointment with the Australians, I had few expectations of the older whites which were, for the first time, to join older reds on the annual tasting of old South African wines prior to the Trophy Show judging. Cut off ages – 25 years for reds, 20 years for whites – seriously test their sustainability. Now, I’m never surprised at some of the glories found among the venerable reds, but I was – very pleasantly so – with some of the whites, starting with the maiden 1976 Overgaauw Sylvaner. At 34 years old, it has developed some positive sherry like character with a clear ring of spice associated with the variety and provided a most promising start. The year 1983 was one of the benchmark years for modern day sauvignon blanc, the label best associated with the vintage being Le Bonheur, which was unwooded. The Stellenryk Blanc Fumé 1983, including Le Bonheur fruit,  barrel-fermented and aged for six months, did both the vineyards and vintage proud; as impressive an example of well-matured, wooded sauvignon blanc that I can think of. Sadly, the other benchmark sauvignon, 1986 Klein Constantia proved the rule that there are good bottles rather than good wines; it certainly wasn’t on a par with the wonderful bottle served at the international sauvignon tasting held during Constantia Fresh. The vintage though shone with other wines, the first, Zonnebloem Blanc de Blanc, an unlikely success; unlikely, in that, as far as Duimpie Bayly remembers, it’s a blend of crouchen blanc, clairette blanche, colombard and chenin blanc. With leesy toasty intrigue, lively juiciness and a soundly dry finish, it’s one wine I’m happy to claim has evolved.

Oude Libertas Steen was a favourite of ours many years ago, as steely as its name suggest. Unfortunately, the 1973 had seen better days, as had two of the Rieslings, but the third, Klein Constantia Rhine Riesling 1986 was the wine of the tasting; thrilling with its fruit/sugar/acid tension and bracing freshness. A wonderful wine toast Ross Gower in his vineyard in the sky.

If tannin is the lifeblood of red wine, acid is that of whites – all other components pulling their weight.

As interesting as all these oldies were, I have no doubt that at a similar age, most of the Loire chenins I was lucky enough to enjoy at One & Only’s first birthday festival will outshine them.

The event was one of the best I’ve ever experienced (so where were all the chenin producers?). Seven wines from different Loire appellations were served with seven exquisite dishes at Nobu restaurant, under the direction of Nobuyuki Matsuhisa himself, while the charming Madame Evelyne Pontbriand (pictured), owner of acclaimed Savennieres property. Domaine du Closel, introduced the wines. She also promised to return for next year’s event with older wines.

If the Domaine Huet Demi-Sec 2007 would probably be the most immediately recognisable chenin for local winelovers and the Juchepe Quintessence 2005 ringing bells for our Noble Late Harvests, the others illustrate the great and interesting range of textures and flavours this grape produces in specific sites. Invidious as it is to single out a favourite,  La Tour Grise, Amandiers 2007 (partnered with Nobu’s Salmon Kelp Roll) was mine on the day.

Chenin’s partnership with Japanese and Asian food is a natural; it’s something we should nuture and promote with our wines, young or mature.